by Stephanie Bickel
What you do is not changing. How you do it, is.
Can you be a consistently compelling force from home? Of course, you can.
We have converted full day in person training experiences to dynamic virtual experiences. We have trained management teams to deliver impactful presentations to potential acquirers by Zoom. We have trained teams on how to deliver 2-hour virtual new business presentations. We have trained 100+ groups on how to increase your personal impact via Zoom. Zoom is happening to all of us, and we can design memorable experiences virtually. We are quickly training Associates and Analysts to become Tech Hosts for virtual meetings. Here are some tips as you prepare your teams for virtual excellence.
HOW TO PREPARE:
Send pre-reads the day before to turn your Zoom sessions into more engaging dialogues
For high-stake virtual meetings, presentations, and workshops, a rehearsal is a must.
Become your Client’s Zoom coach. The people you serve likely need training in Zoom.
Assign someone on the presenting team to be (1) Tech Host, (2) Speaker #1, and (3) Speaker #2. Reach out for a virtually led rehearsal if you need help learning the duties, features, and strategies.
For first meetings with high stake audiences, find out what they are wearing. You don’t want to be too Gucci or too “at home”. Gray is boring.
Use your laptop and not your cell phone. However, switch to phone audio if your audio is poor through the Zoom interface.
HOW TO OPEN/PRESENT:
Say everyone’s name as they come in. Ask people where they are. Ask people for a view out their window. Ask people to talk about an object in their space.
Get people interacting in the chat room immediately.
Pin the face of the person you want to watch – If the host pins a face, we will all look at that person more.
If someone inhales deeply and looks like they are going to speak, welcome them in.
DELIVERY TIPS:
Consider a more interesting wall behind you with items that could be conversation starters.
Face a window or put a light behind your laptop.
Gestures that look good are: key point, karate chop, open palm, closed pincer, open pincer. Gestures come up firmly and then get released.
Make sure your shoulders are visible.
Do not touch face, hair, or clothing.
Look into the lens when speaking.
Try not to hold slides up for longer than 30 seconds.
Great leaders and speakers start with Speak by Design. Learn the techniques and build the skills with us. Speak by Design University is the only leadership communication program in the world that gives you access to self-paced learning, group coaching and training and, most importantly, private one-on-one coaching. Learn more and register at www.speakbydesign.com/join